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Bikepacking Across Utah Part 2: Alaska to Patagonia (Video)
Clotaire Mandel is currently seven years and over 70,000 kilometers into a massive bikepacking trip around the world. His latest video documents his time riding from Moab to Nevada, where he learned to love the sound of silence and the beauty of remoteness. Watch the video and find a short written reflection here…
Words and photos by Clotaire Mandel
It took me a while to see an interest growing in the USA. I guess it wasn’t exotic enough. Until I realized how vast and diverse this country is, and it stood right here, in the middle of the map of the Americas, when drawing a line across the continent. I would cross it; that was a certainty. But how?
I mainly built my way down day by day, questioning locals. And somehow, when I was asking which state was their favourite in the country, 90 percent of the time, the straight answer was “Utah.” I had to pay a visit. I deviated significantly from the GDMBR to reach Utah and pick up my brother in Salt Lake City, after six years since the last time we’d seen each other. And very quickly, we ended up in jaw-dropping spots. I wanted to share my lifestyle with my brother, and this part of the world was just the right place: stunning landscapes, safe and quiet camping options, friendly, outdoorsy people, and perfect weather.
What stands out from those years of cycling around the world is the same set of ingredients: deserts, mountains, and remoteness. And this part of the world has it all. The GDMBR was a perfect introduction to the country. Quirky towns, strong bikepacking community on the trail, poor food options for vegetarians, and beautiful Montana gravel stretches.
But it was somehow too easy. And the desert part of the country sounded like a compelling option. However, we had to deviate and adjust a few times. Some extremely hot parts of the state and surrounding states made the journey humbling. We are not meant to bike across those remote corners. We adapt, we push. However, as soon as the thermometer rises too high, the logistics turn into a nightmare.
Australia, Northern India, and the USA. My favourite parts of the world so far have been those long stretches of loneliness. Despite sometimes riding with a small group of friends, it’s a perfect meditation exercise. Scarce resources, starry nights, silence, physical exhaustion, and hydration management. Those places make me feel truly human. Truly insignificant. Truly grateful.
Patagonia to Alaska: Utah
Further Reading
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